The Garden District of New Orleans

One of my favorite homes in the Garden District because of the century's old live oak tree  

"No houses could well be in better harmony with their surroundings,or more pleaseing to the eye."

Mark Twain on the Garden District

1850's Greek Revival townhouse

Cast-iron fence with mourning angel  

Greek Revival house with carriage way

Detail of Cast-iron

Cast-iron balcony

Greek Revival doorway

John Blaffer's house 1869 at 1328 Felicity street

Detail of Rococo Revival doorway

Detail of Rococo Revival doorway

Cast-iron balcony fence with mourning angel

Ornate Cast-iron balcony fence

Double dwelling 2331-33 Magazine Street by Henry Howard 1859

Double dwelling 2331-33 Magazine Street by Henry Howard 1859

1126 Washington Ave Greek Revival style house 1859

1126 Washington Ave Greek Revival style house 1859

1126 Washington Ave Greek Revival style house 1859

1126 Washington Ave Greek Revival style house 1859

Colonel Short's Villa and cast-iron cornstalk fence

Colonel Short's Villa and cast-iron cornstalk fence

Colonel Short's Villa and cast-iron cornstalk fence

This house, at 1448 Fourth St., was built by architect Henry Howard for Kentucky Colonel Robert Short. The story goes that Short's wife complained of missing the cornfields in her native Iowa, so he bought her the cornstalk fence. A revisionist explanation supplied by a recent owner is that the wife saw that it was the most expensive fence in the building catalog and requested it. Second Civil War occupational governor Nathaniel Banks was quartered here.

Colonel Short's Villa and cast-iron cornstalk fence

This house, at 1448 Fourth St., was built by architect Henry Howard for Kentucky Colonel Robert Short. The story goes that Short's wife complained of missing the cornfields in her native Iowa, so he bought her the cornstalk fence. A revisionist explanation supplied by a recent owner is that the wife saw that it was the most expensive fence in the building catalog and requested it. Second Civil War occupational governor Nathaniel Banks was quartered here.

Colonel Short's Villa and cast-iron cornstalk fence

Gothic cottage at 2605 Prytania street built by James Gallier, Sr, 1849

The T. Lonsdale House by Henry Howard 2521-23 Prytania street 1859

Once an active Catholic chapel, this site, at 2523 Prytania St., was owned by Anne Rice, as was the Marigny-Claiborne House (built for the daughter-in-law of Bernard Marigny) on the other side of the block at 2524 St. Charles Ave. It's the setting for her novel Violin. The former chapel is now owned by actor Nicolas Cage. The author's childhood home is down the street at 2301 St. Charles Ave.

Once an active Catholic chapel, this site, at 2523 Prytania St., was owned by Anne Rice, as was the Marigny-Claiborne House (built for the daughter-in-law of Bernard Marigny) on the other side of the block at 2524 St. Charles Ave. It's the setting for her novel Violin. The former chapel is now owned by actor Nicolas Cage. The author's childhood home is down the street at 2301 St. Charles Ave.

The House of London born Thomas Gilmour 2520 Prytania street 1853 Italianate villa

A Grocer's palace 2423 Prytania street built 1860-61

One of the oldest homes in the Garden District at 2340 Prytania street built 1838-42 in the Greek Revival style

Located at 2340 Prytania St., the Garden District's oldest known home dates to at least 1838. Built for Philadelphia wheelwright Thomas Toby, it is in Greek Revival style, which was then very popular throughout the United States. Although the home represents an American attempt at creating a non-Creole architectural identity, this Anglicized style required Creole building techniques such as raising the house up on brick piers to combat flooding and encourage air circulation.

Napolean lll's Paris on Prytania street the Bradish Johnson house at 2343 Prytania 1872

Paris-trained architect James Freret designed this French Second Empire-style mansion at 2343 Prytania St., which was built for sugar factor Bradish Johnson in 1872 at a cost of $100,000 (that's more than $1.6 million today). Contrast this house's awesome detail with the stark classical simplicity of Toby's Corner across the street -- a visual indication of the effect that one generation of outrageous fortune had on Garden District architecture. Since 1929 the building has been the private Louise S. McGehee School for girls.

Napolean lll's Paris on Prytania street the Bradish Johnson house at 2343 Prytania 1872

2221 Prytania street built in 1850 by architect Henry Howard Greek Revival style

2221 Prytania street built in 1850 by architect Henry Howard Greek Revival style

The Buckner Mansion at 1410 Jackson Avenue built in the Greek Revival style 1857

The Buckner Mansion at 1410 Jackson Avenue built in the Greek Revival style 1857

The Buckner Mansion at 1410 Jackson Avenue built in the Greek Revival style 1857

The Buckner Mansion at 1410 Jackson Avenue built in the Greek Revival style 1857

A house on Jackson Avenue

Alexander Harris house, 2127 Prytania street 1857-58

Alexander Harris house, 2127 Prytania street 1857-58